To choose between shortbreads, compare sugars per 100g, then check the amount in the portion you would eat; a lower figure than another biscuit does not establish a regulated ‘reduced sugars’ claim. If the snack is intended to fuel exercise, check carbohydrate and fat too. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises a carbohydrate-containing snack with minimal fat in its guidance for people managing diabetes, but that guidance is not a general exercise prescription.
If you prefer shortbread with a smaller declared sugar figure, compare the exact packs per 100g before looking at the amount per biscuit. Biscuit weights differ, and ‘no added sugar’ answers a different question from total sugars on the nutrition label.
If you are choosing food for an exercise occasion, consider why you need a snack and when you plan to eat it, alongside its carbohydrate, fat and portion size. Guidance written for people managing diabetes should not be treated as instructions for everyone.
Start with sugars per 100g for a like-for-like comparison, then use the serving figures and ingredients to assess the biscuit you would actually eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars and portion | Compare sugars per 100g on the exact packs, then check each biscuit’s weight and sugars. Tesco declares 13.1g sugars per 100g and 2.4g per 18g finger for its 210g all-butter pack; Sainsbury's declares 14.8g per 100g and 3.0g per biscuit for its checked Highland pack. | I want to compare the biscuits on equal weight, but I also need to know the sugar in the portion I plan to eat. |
| Exercise occasion | Check carbohydrate and fat for the intended portion, as well as when you plan to eat it. Tesco declares 10.9g carbohydrate and 4.8g fat per 18g finger. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust describes carbohydrate with minimal fat in exercise-snack guidance for people managing diabetes; its individual advice has that specific context. | If I am choosing a snack for exercise rather than simply having a biscuit, sugar alone will not answer whether the portion fits my purpose. |
| Ingredients and allergies | Read the current ingredients and precautionary statements on the exact pack. Sainsbury's says its checked Highland fingers are not suitable for customers with a nut or oat allergy because of manufacturing methods; M&S identifies nut and peanut allergy exclusions for its checked Scottish fingers. | When buying for someone with an allergy, I need the statement for that particular product, not an assumption about shortbread generally. |
A lower sugars-per-100g figure in a small selection does not establish that a pack meets the conditions for a regulated nutrition claim. UK Department of Health and Social Care guidance treats such claims as regulated.
Name the exact pack and its declared sugars instead of applying ‘reduced sugars’ to a product without confirming the claim on that product.
Tesco labels its checked finger as 18g, while Waitrose gives nutrition for a 20g shortbread. Their per-biscuit figures describe different amounts of food.
Use per-100g figures to compare composition, then per-biscuit figures to assess your intended portion.
The checked Tesco finger also declares 10.9g carbohydrate and 4.8g fat per 18g serving. A sugars figure does not describe the whole portion.
Consider the reason for the snack and check carbohydrate, fat and serving size. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s exercise-snack guidance concerns people managing diabetes, so do not apply its individual instructions to everyone.
These figures describe specific packs, not every shortbread made by each brand; check the current label when choosing.
Tesco All Butter Shortbread Fingers, 210g.
Sainsbury's Highland All Butter Shortbread Fingers, 200g.
Waitrose Shortbread Fingers, 200g.
Walker's Shortbread Fingers, 150g.
Dean's All Butter Shortbread Fingers, 150g.
M&S Scottish All Butter Shortbread Fingers, 210g.
This Joybuy option is a 25g shortbread pack. If you are comparing it for a lower-sugar choice or an exercise snack, check its current sugars, carbohydrate and fat declarations rather than relying on its pack size.
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For a shortbread snack before exercise, compare the current pack’s sugars, carbohydrate and fat figures with the portion you intend to eat. The product name identifies a 25g pack.
No. Comparing two packs’ declared sugars is not the same as establishing a regulated nutrition claim. UK Department of Health and Social Care guidance covers conditions for making nutrition claims; use the figures on the exact products for your comparison without assuming either pack qualifies for ‘reduced sugars’ wording.
No. ‘No added sugar’ does not tell you the snack’s full carbohydrate or fat content. Check a current pack’s nutrition and ingredients against the reason you want a snack; exercise guidance from University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is written for people managing diabetes and should not be treated as general instructions for everyone.